What’s on in September?
Mon	1	MU&OG. ‘At Home Chez Tapp’	8.00 pm
SUN	4	PATRONAL FESTIVAL Choral Evensong resumes after Summer break
Mon	5	Magazine Panel meets at 35 Vanguard Way	10.00 am
Tue	6	Bible Discussion Group meets at 14 Nairn Court	8.00 pm
Wed	7	St Mary’s Guild Outing
Sat	10	Ringing Roadshow at Newbury, Berks
SUN	11	TRINITY 16 Choral Liturgy (no Eucharist) Baptisms Confirmation Service with Choral Eucharist	9.30 am 11.30 am 6.30 pm
Thu	15	MU&OG. ‘Midwife At Large’- a talk by June Allen.	8.00 pm
Fri	16	Poetry Workshop with Jackie Egerton. The Centre	7.30 pm
Sat	17	The Children’s Society London Bridges Walk
SUN	18	TRINITY 17 Baptisms	11.30 am
Tue	20	Bible Discussion Group. Venue to be advised	8.00 pm
Wed	21	MU Corporate Eucharist at St Michael’s	10.00 am
Sat	24	Harvest Event with an African Theme. The Centre	5.45 pm
SUN	25	HARVEST THANKSGIVING
Thu	29	PCC meeting. The Centre	8.00 pm
Fri	30	Coffee Morning in aid of McMillan Nursing. Trinity Centre, Wallington	10 am to 12 noon

Readings for Sundays in September

Sunday 4 September

Patronal Festival

Isaiah 61: 10-11 Page 1122

Galatians 4: 4-7 Page 1124

Luke 1: 46-55 Page 1124

Sunday 11 September

Trinity 16

Genesis 50: 15-21 Page 359

Romans 14: 1-12 Page 361

Matthew 18: 21-35 Page 362

Sunday 18 September

Trinity 17

Jonah 3: 10-4: 11 Page 367

Philippians 1: 21-30 Page 369

Matthew 20: 1-16 Page 369

Sunday 25 September

Harvest Thanksgiving

Deuteronomy 8: 7-18 Page 1155

2 Corinthians 9: 6-15 Page 1159

Luke 12: 16-30 Page 1160

Thinking of you

Every Sunday we pray for people living and working in two or three roads in the parish.

The roads in September will be:

Sunday 4 September

Bath House Road

Beddington Lane

Sunday 11 September

Beddington Farm Road

Harrington Close, Brazil Close

Sunday 18 September

Pylon Way

Marlowe Way, Stirling Way

Sunday 25 September

Rectory Lane, The Bridleway

St Michael and All Angels

29 September

Michael is an archangel, whose name means 'who is like unto God?' He makes various appearances throughout the Bible, from the book of Daniel to the Book of Revelation. In Daniel, he is 'one of the princes' of the heavenly host, and the special guardian of Israel. In Revelation, he is the principal fighter of the heavenly battle against the devil.

From early times, Michael's cult was strong in the British Isles. Churches at Malmesbury (Wilts), Clive (Glos) and Stanmer (E Sussex) were dedicated to him. Bede mentions him. St Michael's Mount in Cornwall was believed to commemorate a vision there in the 8th century. By the end of the Middle Ages, Michael had 686 English churches dedicated to him.

In art Michael is often depicted as slaying the dragon, as in the 14th century East Anglican Psalters, or in Epstein's famous sculpture at Coventry cathedral. Or he is found (in medieval art) as weighing souls, as at Chaldon (Surrey), Swalcliffe (Oxon), Eaton Bishop (Hereford and Worcester), and Martham in Suffolk. Michael's most famous shrine in western Europe is Mont-Saint-Michel, where a Benedictine abbey was founded in the 10th century.

The 'All Angels' bit of this feast-day was added in 1969 when Gabriel and Raphael were included in with Michael.

The Inspiration of the Geese

This autumn, when you see geese heading south for the winter, flying in a 'V' formation, you might consider what science has discovered as to why they fly that way.

- As each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in a 'V' formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

- People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily, because they are travelling on the thrust of one another.

- When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.

- If we have the sense of a goose, we will stay in formation with those people who are heading the same way we are.

- When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies the point.

- It is sensible to take turns doing demanding jobs, whether with people or with geese flying south.

- Geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed. How much do we encourage others?

- Finally – and this is important – when a goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out of the formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly or until it dies; and only then do they launch out on their own, or fly with another formation to catch up with their own group.

If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other like that.

A very good cause

As part of the celebrations of Southwark’s 100 years, the Southwark Diocese Centenary Fund has been set up to support work with children and young people throughout the Diocese. Already there are many examples of exciting projects underway. In setting up the Centenary Fund, Southwark Diocese hopes to provide the initial funding to start projects which will help our young people to grow in faith and maturity. Bishop Tom writes:

Dear Friends

In this centenary year I wanted to be sure that we were doing something that would have lasting effects. It is for this reason that we have launched the Diocesan Centenary Fund to raise money for projects with your young people.

The aim of the Fund is: to benefit the community and to advance the Christian Faith by the provision of grants, in particular but not exclusively, to assist the local church and local mission by supporting projects in Parishes and their communities, Areas & Deaneries, which encourage children and young people to be part of a life of faith, through nurturing the development of existing work and enabling innovative and creative new work.

Fundraising by the trustees will target a number of sources including local businesses, city institutions, grant giving organisations as well as Parishes throughout the Diocese. Groups will be able to apply for grants from late 2005 and all applications for grants will be assessed by the Grants Committee, which is chaired by Bishop Nick.

I hope and pray that you will feel able to support this appeal and in so doing support the work that our churches are doing with our young people. Please give generously and encourage people that you know to do so too. For it is only through our giving that we can fund the work that God wants us to do.

Grace and peace.

+Thomas Southwark

How to give? By cheque or credit card accompanied by a donation form, available at the back of the church

Pat Kingsbury

Harvest Thanksgiving Flowers

Sunday, 25 September

As already mentioned in last month’s magazine, we think it will be a fun idea if people take one of our many baskets, of varying sizes, and makearrangement at home preferably using greenery, berries and flowers from their gardens (or the local florist if no garden). These baskets will be used to decorate the window sills in the St Nicholas Chapel.

Please see me in church after the services on any Sunday from now until Sunday 17th September to choose a basket, or ring me on 8669 3220 so I can deliver a basket to you. If you have a basket of your own you would rather use (please make sure it is lined with plastic!) please let me know so that I can keep track of the numbers.

All finished baskets should be returned to church between 10.00 am and 12.00 noon on Friday, 23 September (arrangements can be made to collect your basket if you are unable to get to church).

So many 'non flower arrangers' did brilliantly in the Flower Festival, so why not try your hand at a small arrangement.

Sue Ardley

Evensong

Following the choir’s summer break, regular Sunday Choral Evensong resumes at 6.30 pm on Sunday 4. It will, however,

be replaced on the 11th by the Confirmation Service mentioned above.

Five Hundred years on, or thereabouts, Evensong congregations are still singing the lovely evening hymn:

“Glory to thee my God, this night

For all the blessings of the light;

Keep me, O keep me, King of Kings,

Beneath thy own almighty wings”

The words are by Bishop Ken (1637-1711) and the haunting tune - Tallis’s Canon - dates from about 1567.

Thomas Tallis’s quincentenary is being celebrated this year, although it is not certain exactly when he was born, but it was sometime between 1505 and 1510. So when he died at Greenwich in 1585 he was just described in his own words as “very aged”. He had worked aa choirmaster in the Chapel Royal, organist at Waltham Abbey, and as a prolific composer of church music.

Despite his stature as one of the great composers of English sacred music, little is known about his personality. The last two lines of his epitaph - "As he did live, so also did he die, in mild and quiet sort (O happy man!); To God full oft for mercy did he cry, wherefore he lives, let death do what it can." - allude to a quiet, pious man, but little else.

The ‘Late Prom’ on 1 September at 10 pm (Radio 3) features some of Tallis’s best known works and is part of the quincentenary celebrations

Celebrants in September

Sunday 4 September 8.00 am Rev Canon Andrew Wilson

Patronal Festival 9.30 am Rev Canon Adrian Esdaile

Sunday 11 September 8.00 am Rev Canon Andrew Wilson

Trinity 16 9.30 am Choral Liturgy - Jenifer Davison

11.30 am Baptisms (to be arranged)

6.30 pm Confirmation with Choral Eucharist -

Bishop Nick Baines and

Rev Christopher Wheaton

Sunday 18 September 8.00 am Rev Andrew Roland

Trinity 17 9.30 am Very Rev Colin Slee

11.30 am Baptisms (to be arranged)

Sunday 25 September 8.00 am Rev Canon Andrew Wilson

Harvest 9.30 am Rev Canon Nicky Tredennick

Thanksgiving

From the Registers

Baptisms

14 August Leonnie Danni Goddard

Maddison Kim Knox

Jake Raymond Cresswell

Weddings

6 August Jason William Gordon and

Kate Amanda Singleton

Graham Peter Collins and

Sheila Patricia Lavender

Leon Andrew Frost and

Karen Gail Richards

20 August Luke Agneau-Wilson and

Shelley Anne Matthews

Funerals

25 July Barry Hayward, age 63 yrs

18 August Vera Norrington

Harvest For The World

Saturday, 24 September

A Harvest Thanksgiving Weekend Event

with an African Theme

From 5.45 pm onwards with supper at 6.30 pm.

There will be dishes from various regions of Africa, prepared by members of St’s congregation and their friends. (Plainer fare will be available for those who prefer it.)

Chief guest will be Rosemary Kempsell, MU Co-ordinator for Action and Outreach, who has travelled extensively in Africa, including helping with literary projects in Burundi.

Enter the Quiz (strictly optional!) and you could win a bottle of fairly-traded wine or an exciting Churchy Cook Book!

Browse and buy at the bookstall, provided courtesy of Oasis, Wallington

Tickets available soon: Adults: £3, Families: £6

COME AND ENJOY

Parish Quiet Day

Saturday, 20 August

After Morning Prayer at St Mary’s and a pleasant drive through the green countryside, we arrived at St Mary’s Abbey, West Malling. We were welcomed by Sister Shona at the gate and entered the quiet of the Abbey gardens

Our programme had been carefully planned by Jenifer, giving us a very varied day. Jenifer and Betty gave us two thought provoking talks, there were several periods of silence and private prayer when we were free to use the grounds or the church, and we joined the Community for two short services, Sext and None.

During the periods of silence we all took the opportunity of a gentle ten minute walk in the newly constructed grass labyrinth, where our feet followed the well defined paths while our minds were free to think or pray as we so desired. I appreciated, as I’m sure everyone else did, the opportunity to be in such calm and beautiful surroundings, away from the stresses and strains of everyday life - to be quiet in the presence of God.

The day ended with tea in the Pax House with a superb fruit cake, then after Evening Prayer in the chapel we were off home.

Thank you, Sisters, for your hospitality and thank you, Jenifer, for such a well planned day and for giving us the opportunity to enjoy the peace of the Abbey and its beautiful grounds.

Perhaps others will join us next year because it is a very special experience.

Eileen England

In Case of Emergency

This past summer the East Anglia Ambulance Service launched a national 'In case of Emergency (ICE)' campaign with the support of Falklands war hero Simon Weston and in association with Vodafone's annual life savers award.

It’s a fact that the emergency services now look at a casualty’s mobile phone for helpful contact numbers. So, the idea is that you store the word 'ICE' in your mobile phone address book, and against it enter the number of the person you would want to be contacted 'In Case of Emergency'. In an emergency situation ambulance and hospital staff will then be able to quickly find out who your next of kin are and be able to contact them. For more than one contact name use ICE1, ICE2, ICE3, etc. It's so simple - everyone can do it. It really could save hours at time when you need your loved ones most.

For a real ‘belt & braces’ approach, you might like to replace actual names with relationships, ie instead of, say, ‘John’ enter ‘husband’, or for ‘Anne’ enter ‘daughter’ - you’ll know who they are and so will anyone else in case of an emergency

Friday, 16 September at 7.30 pm

CHURCH CENTRE

For those that love poetry and would like the opportunity to discuss and

interpret ideas and feelings being expressed by poets.

All welcome - no previous knowledge required.

Jackie Egerton

Doing Something for Darfur

Live8 was not the only fund-raising concert for people in need. On 82005, a number of international artists will be singing at a United Nations refugee agency fundraising concert, at the Royal Albert Hall, for the victims of Sudan's Darfur conflict.

Among the international singers and musicians taking part in the 'Refugee Voices for Darfur' event are singer-songwriter David Gray, lead singer of the Pretenders Chrissie Hynde, Simply Red frontman Mick Hucknall, soprano Barbara Hendricks, disco-diva Jocelyn Brown, Grammy Award nominee Alison Moyet and singers Andrew Coleman and Robbie Craig. Mercury Music Prize winners Franz Ferdinand, one of Britain's biggest bands, will perform via a video link from Mexico City. More artists are pledging to take part in, or support, the event on a daily basis.

The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra will accompany most of the artists as they perform the music of Cole Porter in their own varied styles.

The concert is designed to raise awareness and funding for the more than 1.8people affected by the continuing crisis in Darfur, Sudan. The situation in the strife-torn region remains extremely volatile. More than 200,000 Sudanese have fled to neighbouring Chad and 1.6 million people, who have been displaced internally, are living in desperate conditions inside Darfur where there has been a complete breakdown in security.

This is one of the world's worst current humanitarian crises and urgently needed proceeds from the concert will be used to provide international protection and life-saving assistance to those affected. Funds will be raised by ticket sales from the event and online donations. The event will also be released on CD and DVD.

Make a date to buy your ticket when they go on sale at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday 20th November 2005. At £17.50, £25, £30, £35, £50, £75 and £100, they might make a special early Christmas present!

Box Office 020 7589 8212; and www.royalalberthall.com

Tickets: http://www.royalalberthall.com/rah/text_only/events

For more information on the Darfur crisis and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees see: www.unhcr.ch/darfur and www.asylumpolicy.info/darfur.htm For information on donations go to: http://www.unhcr.org.uk/donate

Babs Taylor

Betting On The Bellringers

St Mary’s ringers are off to the races - well, to Newbury Racecourse to be precise.

A grand Ringers Roadshow is being held at the Racecourse on 10 September. This is basically a ringing version of an agricultural show. Everything to do with ringing is on show in one form or another. The bellfounders come, complete with bells; there are ropemakers, engravers, carpenters, jewellery makers, embroiderers and many other craftsmen.

Workshops and demonstrations are on offer, particularly for handbells, with a chance to try it out for yourself, and seminars on such topics as belfry maintenance and how to progress if you learned to ring late in life!

There are mini rings, indoors and out, and even non-ringers can have a go at these. Local church towers are also open for anyone wishing to go “tower-grabbing”.

Along with many other exhibits and stands, Chris Kimber will be there with his Cantate stall, selling, amongst other items, the new Surrey CD, brought out specially for the 125th anniversary of the Surrey Association. The Surrey Association will also be there selling goods for fundraising (they need to make up the £15,000 they gave us!).

There will be ringing machines and simulators on display and plenty of software for the computer buffs. Apart from the sound of bells, there will be other music to listen to, including a lunchtime Handbell Concert.

The racecourse is used to catering for the inner punter and all refreshment needs will be adequately provided for. Real Ale will be available in the “Taylor Tavern” next to the Grandstand. There is also a large picnic area outside.

People can come and go as they wish. The show is open from 10.00am to 5.00pm and there is free parking for thousands of cars. The Racecourse is easily accessible - without going through the M25 roadworks - and whatever the weather, it will be a great day out for everyone, not just ringers.

All St Mary’s ringers will be going and if anyone else is interested, please speak to Chris or myself if you would like more information.

Jean Kimber

PCC Notes

At the meeting on 19 July a number of members were forced by other commitments to arrive late, so those attending from the beginning were kept on their toes by changes in the order of the agenda.

Derek Whiting, for the social committee, reported the success of the Railway Weekend which had raised £537 for church funds. He also provided more dates for diaries with details of the Harvest Supper on 24th September, a Poetry Evening on 16 September, and ‘A Transport of Delight’, an evening of music, poetry and prose to be held on 15 October.

The PCC was pleased to welcome Andrew Wilson to give his Director of Music’s report. AW informed the meeting that the current membership of the choir is 12 boys and 10 adults with an additional 4 boys in training. Recruitment is an ongoing task; rehearsal has been changed from Friday night, where it clashes with too many other activities, and AW is hoping to attract more boys with the offer of scholarships. The back row would like a greater variety of music. Andrew is pleased that Evensong congregations are growing. He ended by saying that he has been organist and choir director at St Mary’s for 15 years and that he still has a vision for the future of the choir. A discussion followed as to how best to keep the boys interested once their voices had changed. AW was warmly thanked for his report and for his work with and for the parish’s music.

The churchwardens reported that 11 applications for the vacancy had been received and that a meeting to choose a shortlist would be held with the Bishop and the Archdeacon during August. One potential applicant had already visited the parish and it is likely that more will do so. Please be welcoming to strangers.

The Treasurer told the meeting that our Housekeeping Account is well below target at the moment. However it was noted that Selwyn’s departure had affected the normal fund-raising pattern and it was also hoped that some of the maintenance budget would remain unused at the end of the year.

A number of ongoing matters were reported and discussed:

The clergy vestry lighting fails occasionally; this is to be monitored. Broken windows in the choir vestry and ringing room have been repaired

A faculty application to continue burying ashes in the existing plot and to create a new area by the ‘Puma path’ where ashes may be poured has not yet received a reply. (Stop Press: Faculty approval has now been received.)

The PCC approved proposals from the glass restorer, Clifford Durant, for the restoration of the Hamilton window. The remaining panels will be put into tinted glass with a picture of Rector Hamilton and a short history of the window.

A 22-page report had been received that day from Granville and Burbidge concerning the cleaning and conservation of the internal decorations. IA will study the report in depth but, on first reading, he thought that it looked as though the work, if approved by the PCC and the Diocese, could be split up into manageable chunks and paid for piece by piece over a number of years.

The PCC expressed its approval of a suggestion from Jenifer that a parent &/quiet area at the rear of the St Nicholas chapel should be set up. Written proposals will be presented at the next meeting.

Ten Cambridge Bibles have been purchased; they will be placed in church for individuals to use during visits and before or after services.

Concern was expressed that ‘reasonable quiet’ was not at all obvious before the 9.30 Sunday Eucharist and ways of rectifying this were suggested.

PK expressed her frustration that the Community Volunteers who had agreed to do the work needed in the churchyard had, without letting anyone know, failed to turn up. A few possible alternatives were suggested and will be pursued.

The main room of the Parish Centre is to be painted in August.

Preparations are underway to add a photograph of Selwyn to the collection in the vestry.

Since the PCC had been meeting every month since the interregnum had begun it was suggested and agreed that, unless there were to be an emergency, the scheduled August meeting could be ‘let go’.

The meeting closed with prayer.

Pam Akhurst

Secretary to the PCC

Daily Prayer Topics in September

Thu 1 The Taize Community and the sad loss of Brother Roger

Fri 2 The Iraqi people suffering repeated bomb attacks

Sat 3 The Pope and our fellow Christians in the Roman Catholic Church

Sun 4 Give thanks for the life and example of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Mon 5 Teachers and pupils as they prepare for a new term

Tue 6 Our Bible Reading & Discussion Group

Wed 7 All who are confused in a world of multi-choice

Thu 8 That world leaders may set good examples

Fri 9 Our youth group and its leaders

Sat 10 The newly married

Sun 11 All being Confirmed at St Mary’s today

Mon 12 All who work in dangerous or hostile environments

Tue 13 The Turkish people and their hope of joining the EU

Wed 14 All whose sight and hearing are failing

Thu 15 Our Mothers’ Union and Open Group

Fri 16 The Church in Scotland

Sat 17 Religious communities in Germany

Sun 18 Thanksgiving for our church fellowship

Mon 19 Integrity and fair dealing in world trade

Tue 20 The Melanesian Brotherhood

Wed 21 Thanksgiving for the Gospel of St Matthew

Thu 22 Children taken into care and those left at risk

Fri 23 The United Nations and peace-keeping forces

Sat 24 That we may know God’s presence in our homes

Sun 25 Thanksgiving for the fruits of harvest

Mon 26 All who go hungry because of failed harvests

Tue 27 All missionaries at home and abroad

Wed 28 Our local clergy fraternity

Thu 29 St Michael’s and All Angels on their Patronal Festival

Fri 30 Our Link Diocese in Zimbabwe

Bonkers about conkers

With the arrival of autumn, it will be conker time soon. For 36 years, the Northamptonshire village of Ashton has played host to the World Conker Championships. The Championships started by accident when a group of pub regulars, thwarted in their attempts to go fishing, decided to play conkers instead. Today, the event attracts visitors from around the world – and competition is fierce.

A Conker Quiz:

Q When was the first ever recorded game of conkers played using horse chestnuts?

A In 1848 in the Isle of Wight. Before then, hazelnuts were used.

Q What other names are there for the game of conkers?

A Conquerors, cheggies, hongkongs, obbly-onkers and cobs.

Q What was the most victorious conker ever?

A A 'five-thousander' which won the BBC Conker Conquest of 1954. Although it has been suggested that this might have been a 'ringer' - probably an ivory or tagua nut..

Q How do some people cheat at conkers?

What’s on in September?